Revulutionary Engines
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: Diesel gets fed up with Stephen's popularity among the engines, so he decides to take matters into his own hands and lies to Millie to get Stephen a bad reputation.


Paxton hummed to himself as he oiled into Brendam Docks. He noticed Diesel bashing trucks up ahead.

"Oh dear. Looks like Diesel's at it again." Paxton muttered as he came to a halt near Cranky.

"Hello Diesel!" said Paxton kindly.

Diesel scowled.

Paxton frowned, noticing Diesel's expression.

"What's wrong now?"

"It's that old-timer, Stephen!" he grumbled, "Look at him over there, gallivanting into modern territory, yet he gets special attention!"

Paxton looked to see Stephen arriving for his jam, since he pulled his very own train called "The Afternoon Tea Express".

Stephen was passing Salty and Porter, who were also busy shunting.

"Hello Stephen! Nice seeing you again!" said Salty with deep respect.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just picking up some jam." Stephen chuckled.

"You're so modest, Stephen." said Porter.

Diesel growled.

"See what I mean? Why does **he** all of engines get attention? He could break down at any point!"

"Could it be the fact that he won the Rainhill Trials and that he revolutionized engines forever?" Paxton asked innocently.

Diesel snorted.

"Pah! I was the first Diesel on Sodor. Surely, I should get some glory for that!"

Cranky couldn't help overhearing and smirked.

"I doubt the Fat Controller would take pleasure in your tricks, Diesel!"

Diesel grew even crosser.

"I'll show you all I'm just as good as Stephen is; heck, I'm better!"

"All you've done is caused confusion and delay." said Paxton.

"...so? We need more of that anyway." Diesel snickered.

Suddenly Diesel got an idea.

"...yes, indeed we do!" Diesel cackled and he oiled away, working on the idea.

"What was that all about?" asked Stephen as he puffed next to Cranky.

"Just Diesel being Diesel." Paxton said.

Stephen looked back, a little worried.

"If you say so..."

Diesel grunted as he oiled along the branch line.

"Stephen's so 'clever', the engines say..." Diesel growled, "Well, I'll show them that I am cleverer than that old clapped out piece of scrap..."

He scuttled into Wellsworth, where BoCo was shunting some trucks.

"Hello there BoCo." Diesel said in his oily voice, "Are those mine?"

BoCo looked over.

"Why, yes. This is a train that needs to be taken to Ulfstead Castle."

Diesel grinned.

"Well then, I might as well be on time!"

He rattled over the points and was coupled up.

"Um.. you never care about being on time." BoCo said.

Diesel stuttered, "Um, I, uh...I've...changed!"

BoCo looked on in suspicion.

"...right."

Diesel oiled away with his trucks, snickering.

BoCo sighed worriedly.

"I think he's up to something...if only I knew what..."

Diesel oiled past Maron Station, and rattled onto the junction to the Ulfstead Branch Line.

He snickered to himself.

"This'll be a cinch."

Soon, Diesel arrived at the castle station.

Millie was already there, waiting.

She was surprised as Diesel arrived at the station.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Diesel grinned; this gave him an even bigger opportunity to trick the French engine.

"Why, you don't know me? I am Diesel."

Millie was confused.

"That's a silly name."

"...maybe, I don't care. The point is that I bring bad news."

Millie cocked an eyebrow.

"What bad news? All the supplies are here."

"No, I didn't mean that. I meant about your friend... Stephen." Diesel said, trying not to smile deviously, "I'm afraid he has indeed said that Diesel engines such as myself are completely pointless, and that steam should be the mode of transport. And I am telling the truth; I was just as Brendam Docks. Stephen made fun of me and my friend Paxton."

Millie was shocked, and her jaw dropped.

"Are you sure, Diesel? He's such a nice engine..."

"I swear on it." Diesel said earnestly as he was being uncoupled, "I've felt really sad since he told me this."

And Diesel faked a sad look, but Millie seemed to buy it.

Now Millie was cross.

"I'll show that buffoon a thing or two when he gets back!" she fumed.

Diesel grinned.

"Indeed. He deserves punishment." and Diesel scurried over to the turntable.

The turntable turned, and soon, Diesel was on his way back down the slope.

On the other track, Stephen was puffing tiredly up the slope.

"Hello (pant) Diesel!" Stephen said as Diesel scurried by.

Diesel said nothing, nor did he honk his horn.

Stephen frowned.

"Well, that wasn't very nice." he muttered.

When Stephen was out of earshot, Diesel started to cackle.

"That'll show him who is the superior engine around here!"

Back at the castle, Stephen, with pink cheeks from using up a lot of energy, panted into the station.

Millie was at the other platform, with workmen loading the supplies into her narrow gauge trucks, and she looked very cross.

Stephen was confused as he came to a halt.

"Oh dear, Millie, what's wrong?" he asked.

"You stupid engine! How dare you insult other engines like that!" Millie burst out, "Some Diesels are just as kind as steam engines! You remember that Dave, who came the whole Main Line to give Rob Durham his clippers or Paxton, who brings gravel up here sometimes! You, of all engines, should know not to group all engines into one category! Just because you were one of the first steam engines ever built does _not_ make a king of some kind!"

Stephen's mouth was agape by the time Millie was finished; he hadn't heard Millie yell before, and he wasn't even sure what he did.

"Millie... When did I say anything bad about Diesels? I know there are kind Diesels... Where did this come from?" Stephen asked.

Millie was still cross.

"I am disappointed in you, Stephen. I thought you wouldn't lie... Diesel came and told me all about your little 'escapade' at Brendam."

Stephen groaned.

"Oh no... He's the engine who called me 'old-fashioned' at the Docks. I was just trying to find my new job before the castle opened. He isn't the nicest of engines..."

"That doesn't excuse revenge." Millie cried.

Stephen's eyes narrowed.

"Do you really think I'm like that, Millie? I thought you knew me better. Besides, I wasn't finished. I was about to say he's well-known for lying about other engines. Just ask around."

Millie wasn't completely convinced, but before she could reply, the Earl walked in.

"My, oh my, what is with all the noise? Why are you two arguing?" he asked worriedly.

"Stephen's mean to Diesels, and he lied!" Millie cried.

"But I didn't do anything!" Stephen protested, "Diesel's lying, I swear!"

The Earl sighed.

" **Enough**!" he yelled.

The sound echoed around the grounds.

"Now that your petty arguing is finished, I'd like to know where Diesel is." the Earl said flatly.

"What? You don't believe me, sir?" Millie cried.

The Earl turned over and gave a small smile.

"Anyone can get fooled. What Stephen had said is correct. Now, where is he?"

"Last time I saw him, he just came from the castle, going to Brendam. He probably had already told the lie, which would make sense; he didn't say anything to me, but I could hear him laughing when he thought I didn't." Stephen said.

The Earl put a hand to his chin.

"Hmm... I think Sir Topham would like to know about this... I'll get my car."'

And he ran into the castle to get his car.

The car's engine roared as it toiled down the road.

Stephen and Millie looked confusingly to each other.

In his office at Knapford, the Fat Controller was talking to the Steamworks manager over his telephone.

"So how much longer will Murdoch be in repair? About a week? That's a relief; I need him to take a goods train to the Mainland next Wednesday. Yes, I know. Thank you."

Just then, the Fat Controller heard a car's tyres screeching on the road.

"Who in the world is that?!" the Fat Controller asked, except he was still on the phone.

"What was that about me?" the manager asked, miffed.

"Erm, not you. I meant... some madman on the road. Hold on, I have to end the call." and the Fat Controller went out of the station building and out onto the road entrance.

He looked around curiously.

"...hmm. He seems to be gone."

He then saw a yellow car, curving down the road, almost hitting Bertie.

"Hey!" cried Bertie as the yellow car stopped right by the pavement and a familiar figure stepped out of the car.

"Sir Robert? What are you doing here? And why are you driving so fast?"

The Earl ran toward the Fat Controller.

"It's an urgent emergency, Sir Topham."

"Totally worth nearly running into me." huffed Bertie.

The Earl sheepishly turned his head.

"Oh, I didn't mean to do that Bertie. I'm so sorry."

He then turned back to the Fat Controller.

"Just get into my car. Diesel's been telling lies about Stephen, and I believe he needs both of our confrontations."

"Oh no..."

The Fat Controller hopped into the Earl's car and the two men scurried off to the Docks.

Diesel giggled as he oiled into the Docks.

"My plan worked!" he whispered to Paxton, who had already come back with another shipment of stone.

"Oh no, what did you do?" Paxton asked worriedly.

"Oh, it's alright... Just a repeat of tactics." Diesel smirked.

Paxton's eyes widened.

"You didn't mean you... you... lied?" Paxton stuttered.

Diesel laughed.

"Why, of course, Paxton!"

But Diesel wasn't whispering this time, and the whole Docks could hear him.

"What was that, matey?" Salty scowled as he oiled over.

Diesel smirked.

"What can you do? You're not even a pirate!"

"So what if I'm not a pirate, sailing with human ones? At least me and Paxton are respectable Diesels!"

Diesel was taken aback for a moment, before Cranky broke the silence.

"Oh look, here comes a yellow car."

"Wait... what?" Diesel cried.

Cranky chuckled.

"Yep, that's the Earl's car, alright. And he and the Fat Controller are inside. You're in trouble now..."

Diesel looked from side to side.

"Nooo!"

Diesel rushed forward, only to blocked by Porter and a flatbed of timber.

"Oh no, you don't! You're facing consequences!" Porter huffed.

Diesel then tried to go backwards, but he was cut off by a loud whistle.

"Where are you going?" asked Arthur, who had just arrived with a fish train.

Diesel was now trapped.

"Oooh..."

The Earl's car pulled up next to the line.

Each door was opened, and the Earl and the Fat Controller walked over to Diesel.

"Topham, you shall have the honors." said the Earl.

The Fat Controller cleared his throat and glared at Diesel.

"Diesel, I thought you had gotten past your lying phase. Just because you are jealous of someone doesn't give you the right to try and act on revenge. Stephen never did a thing to you. I hope in future you can at least pretend to respect other engines."

"Right!" agreed Paxton.

Diesel scoffed.

"But don't act like you're getting off scot-free." the Fat Controller continued, "I'm placing you, here, at Brendam for a while."

Diesel groaned.

"But, before you do that, you will come up to my estate and apologize to Stephen for causing this confusion." said the Earl.

Diesel just muttered under his breath.

"Come along, Porter, back up." called Cranky.

Porter did so and the points were changed.

"Now, go. The Earl will drive back to the castle while I ride in your cab."

The Fat Controller climbed onboard and Diesel scuttled away, still sulking.

At the castle, Stephen was collecting more passengers from Caitlin.

"Here you are, Stephen! Fresh tourists from the Mainland!" Caitlin called.

Stephen gave a small smile.

"Thanks, Caitlin." and he started to puff away when he saw a black engine oil towards him on the opposite track.

"Diesel? What are you doing here?" Stephen asked.

Diesel sighed as the Fat Controller gave him a glare.

"...I'm sorry. Sorry for lying to you and calling you 'old-fashioned.' Can you forgive me?"

Stephen chuckled.

"Well, of course I forgive you Diesel! Forgive and let live, I always say."

"...thanks." Diesel muttered.

The Fat Controller climbed down from Diesel's cab.

"Now, off you go Diesel, to Brendam. I'm off to see if the Earl is here yet." and the Fat Controller walked away.

Diesel groaned.

"Yes sir..." and Diesel rolled away.

Stephen looked on in curiosity as Millie puffed alongside.

"Um... Stephen?"

Stephen looked down.

"What is it, Millie?"

"Um... Can you forgive me, too? I was very mean to you..." Millie said sadly, "You're one of my best friends..."

Stephen smiled kindly.

"I know, Millie. Everybody makes mistakes... even me."

Millie looked up and smiled too.

"You think that Diesel has learned?" she asked.

"I believe so..." Stephen chuckled and the two went back to work.


End file.
